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Tuesday, November 19, 2013

I know my time with this blog was brief compared to my previous blog home -
and I am thankful for the time here and the past few years of growth that Abba has had for me.

That being said, I have decided to move my blog, once again.

I believe it is time to have a blog home that is a little more well-rounded. I love talking about Torah and about my family - but my life consists of so much more. I want to broaden my horizons and begin anew as YHVH continues to teach me how to live a balanced life during my pilgrimage here.

Thank you to those who followed me here when I moved in the past.
Thank you to those who have joined me since being here.
I would love for you to join me at my new blog and would love to hear from you.

Tuesday, November 12, 2013

Chanukah is one of those topics that a lot of various and contradictory information can be found.
Even the word itself cannot be resolutely determined in its spelling (Chanukah, Hanukkah, etc...).

I 'happened' upon these videos on Facebook discussing if /where Chanukah is talked about in Scripture.

There are two videos posted below - about 15 minutes each.
I found it interesting to hear some of the points/passages shared in these videos...
and I look forward to researching them even further (as we should with all things).
I believe they are worth watching... and sharing...

Monday, September 30, 2013

" In Parasha B'reisheet (Genesis 1:1-6:8), we learn many important lessons, but none more powerful and enduring than the significance and holiness of words and speech. The Torah teaches us that YHVH created the world through ten utterances: through Divine speech. With each holy command, our universe was formed. YHVH implanted this gift of speech within man. Of all earth's creatures, only humans are endowed with the ability to verbally communicate intelligently. We must be ever mindful that, even as Elohim created through "words", on our own level, we too create through words.

Time and again, the Torah cautions us to be very careful with that which escapes our lips, for, as King Solomon tells us, "Death and life are in the tongue." Before speaking, stop for a moment and consider how your words impact on others. What sort of environment and relationships do you create with your speech? Do you speak to your family and friends with love and respect? Do you think about what you're saying before you say it and the effect that it will have on those with whom you communicate? How careful are you with that which escapes from your lips?

There are more commandments in the Torah in regard to speech than to any other mitzvah: seventeen negative and fourteen positive mitzvos. It is through speech that we signaled our committment to our Covenant at Sinai when we proclaimed, "Na'aseh V'nishma - We shall do it and we shall study it." It is through speech - prayer - that we speak to Elohim on a daily basis, bringing a positive spiritual influence into the mundane. Yet speech can have terribly negative effects as well: It was through speech that Hitler committed the most unspeakable evil ever to be perpetrated upon mankind. He himself never lifted a weapon; he used his lethal tongue to incite the world to hatred and slaughter. Indeed, "Death and live are in the tongue."

Think before you speak and ask yourself, "Will my words generate light or darkness, love or hatred, blessing or curse?" The choice is your to make. Use your Divine gift of speechcarefully and wisely, in the service of the Almighty. "

Saturday, May 25, 2013

"... the mistakes we make in life, the sins that we commit, are not born in a vacuum. They stem from deep roots, so if we are to confess and make a real change in our lives, it's not just verbal platitudes that are required, but genuine soul-searching. ... if we really want to elevate ourselves, if we really want to be transformed and become better, more spiritual individuals, we have to go through this process honestly, without rationalizations, as painful as it may be. We must focus not only on the sin just committed, but must ask ourselves, What led me astray? How is it that I have become so lost? Once we come to grips with that concept and discover the answer, it will become easier for us to uproot the negativity from our hearts and to embark upon a new course. That's what teshuvah (repentance) is all about. To be sure, this is not a simple path. Most of us are quick to see the faults in others but are slow to recognize them in ourselves. How often does it happen that when we read a book or hear a message, we say, "That's just for my sister, brother, friend, etc..." and it never occurs to us that the message was meant for us. So, know yourself."

Search me, O El, and know my heart; Try me, and know my thoughts;And see if an idolatrous way is in me, And lead me in the way everlasting.
- Tehillim/Psalm 139:23-24

Thursday, May 9, 2013

Parashas Bamidbar (Portion Numbers 1:1-4:20) is always read (according to tradition) prior to the great festival of Shavuot, which commemorates (traditionally) the day that YHVH gave us the Torah. And that in itself is instructive. Midbar can be defined as wilderness or desert; the word bamidbar means "in the Wilderness", teaching us that if we wish the Torah to impact on us and elevate us, we have to make ourselves like a desert. Even as a desert is barren, so too must we divest ourselves of all preconceived notions and allow the Torah to re-shape us. Even as in a desert there are no diversions, so we cannot allow anyone or anything to distract us from our Torah study. Even as in the Wilderness of Sinai everything was free, so we must make Torah study available to one and all.

The backdrop for the giving of the Torah is equally significant. The Torah was given at Mount Sinai, a lowly mountain, and while logic would dictate that it would have been more impressive had God proclaimed His words on a tall, majestic mountain, He nevertheless chose Sinai for His revelation, teaching us that a prerequisite for Torah study is humility. At Sinai, the people saw flames and clouds dripping water; flames symbolize fiery passion, while clouds dripping water are symbolic of clarity. The verses teach us that if we wish Torah to enter our hearts, we must study it and transmit it with fiery passion; we must tackle our studies with discipline and stay with them until we have full clarity. All this is a reminder that Torah study cannot be undertaken casually. It is our very life and the length of our days, and must be accorded the seriousness and respect it deserves.

Shavuot means 'weeks' in Hebrew.
It is The Feast of Weeks.
7 weeks (49 completed days),
counted from the day after the weekly Sabbath Day
after beginning The Feast of Unleavened Bread.

In Scripture it is a feast of harvest.
It is, also, the celebration of the giving of the written Torah,
by YHVH at Mount Sinai.

It is, also, the time known as Pentecost.
Pentecost means "fiftieth" in Greek.

It is when the promise of the giving of the Set-Apart Spirit was fulfilled.

-----------------------------------
Some of the Scriptures referring to Shavuot...

"and the Festival of the Harvest, the first-fruits of your labourswhich you have sown in the field; and the Festival of the Ingatheringat the outgoing of the year, when you have gathered in the fruit of your labours from the field"
Exodus 23:16

"And perform the Festival of Weeks for yourself, of the first-fruits of wheat harvest, and the Festival of Ingathering at the turn of the year"
Exodus 34:22

"And from the morrow after the Sabbath, from the day that you brought the sheaf of the wave offering,you shall count for yourselves: seven completed Sabbaths.Until the morrow after the seventh Sabbath you count fifty days, then you shall bring a new grain offering to YHVH."
Leviticus 23:15-17 {and to verse 21}

"And on the day of the first-fruits, when you bring a new grain offering to YHVHat your Festival of Weeks, you have a set-apart gathering, you do no servile work."
Numbers 28:26

"And you shall perform the Festival of Weeks to YHVH your Elohim,according to the voluntary offering from your hand,which you give as YHVH your Elohim blesses you.And you shall rejoice before YHVH your Elohim, you and your son and your daughter,and your male servant and your female servant, and the Levite who is within your gates,and the stranger and the fatherless and the widow who are in your midst,at the place where YHVH your Elohim chooses to make His Name dwell."
Deuteronomy 16:10-11

"And when the Day of the Festival of Weeks had come,they were all with one mind in one place.And suddenly there came a sound from the heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind,and it filled all the house where they were sitting.And there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and settled on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Set-apart Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them to speak."
Acts 2:1-4

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A few links expounding on Shavuot:{as with anything, read with discernment and prove all things according to Scripture}

The Messiah - Prophecy Fulfilled - Movie showing how Yeshua fulfilled the Passover and how a Jewish man shares it with his family during their Passover observation. Longer but very good. (50 minutes)

Know Your Enemy (Part 12- The Plagues) - See how the plagues that YHVH brought upon Egypt
targeted specific "gods" that they worshiped, showing His authority as
the One True Elohim. Video is less than 8 minutes. Watch and connect some dots that maybe didn't connect before.Very interesting.

One last resource to share is theLet My People Go board game.
We have found this to be a delightful game to play as a family!
And the rhymes are very cute and catchy.
The game is a little difficult to find (about $15) but worth the buy if you can find it!

May your Pesach be blessed! As well as your preparation!

Shalom!
~ Christina

p.s. This will be an ongoing list, of sorts. Check back for additions/changes. :)

Have you ever felt like you were so tired? So worn?
So heavy hearted? So weak? Like the struggle will never end?
Like sometimes it takes all of your strength just to breathe?
I have.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

♪ I'm tired. I'm worn. My heart is heavyFrom the work it takes to keep on breathingI've made mistakes. I've let my hope failMy soul feels crushed By the weight of this worldAnd I know that you can give me restSo I cry out with all that I have leftLet me see redemption win. Let me know the struggle endsThat you can mend a heart that's frail and tornI want to know a song can rise From the ashes of a broken lifeAnd all that's dead inside can be reborn... Cause I'm wornI know I need To lift my eyes upBut I'm too week. Life just won't let upAnd I know that You can give me restSo I cry out with all that I have leftLet me see redemption win. Let me know the struggle endsThat you can mend a heart that's frail and tornI want to know a song can rise From the ashes of a broken lifeAnd all that's dead inside can be reborn... Cause I'm wornAnd my prayers are wearing thinI'm worn even before the day beginsI'm worn I've lost my will to fightI'm worn so heaven come and flood my eyes Let me see redemption win. Let me know the struggle endsThat you can mend a heart that's frail and tornI want to know a song can rise From the ashes of a broken lifeAnd all that's dead inside can be rebornYes all that's dead inside will be rebornThough I'm wornYeah I'm worn

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

We are blessed in those dark times.
We have an Abba that is near to the broken-hearted
and saves those whose spirit is crushed {Tehillim/Psalm 34:18}.
He is the lifter of our heads {Tehillim/Psalm 3:3}.
He hears us when we cry out to Him. He lifts us out of the pit.
He puts a new song in our mouth {Tehillim 40:1-3}.
He gives beauty for ashes, oil of joy for mourning,
and the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness {Yeshayahu/Isaiah 61:3}.

Monday, January 21, 2013

I wanna be close, close to Your side
So Heaven is real and death is a lie
I wanna hear voices of angels above
Singing as one

HalleluYah, Holy, Holy
God Almighty, the Great I Am
Who is worthy, none beside Thee
God Almighty, the Great I Am

I wanna be near, near to Your heart
Loving the world, hating the dark
I wanna see dry bones living again!!
Singing as one

HalleluYah, Holy, Holy
God Almighty, the Great I Am
Who is worthy, none beside Thee
God Almighty, the Great I Am
The Great I Am

The mountains shake before Him
The demons run and flee
At the mention of the name, King of Majesty
There is no power in hell or any who can stand
Before the power and the presence of the Great I Am
The Great I Am! the Great I Am!

HalleluYah, Holy, Holy
God Almighty, the Great I Am
Who is worthy, none beside Thee
God Almighty, the Great I Am!
The Great I Am!

Friday, January 4, 2013

"And Mosheh was shepherding the flock of Yithro his father-in-law,the priest of Midyan. And he led the flock to the back of the wilderness, and came to Horeb, the mountain of Elohim.And the Messenger of YHVH appeared to him in a flame of fire from the midst of the bush.And he looked and saw the bush burning with fire, but the bush was not consumed.And Mosheh said, "Let me turn aside now, and see this great sight,why the bush does not burn."
- Shemot/Exodus 3:1-2

Mosheh {Moses} was going about his daily duties
of tending to the flocks
when he noticed something...
a burning bush.

He could have rationalized it away,
he could have claimed he was too busy to investigate,
and he could have continued about with his day.
He didn't, though.
Instead, he stopped what he was doing
and decided to turn aside to find out more.

It wasn't until he made that choice
that YHVH called to him.
"And YHVH saw that he turned aside to see, and Elohim called to him from the midst of the bush and said, "Mosheh! Mosheh!"
(verse 4)

Do we notice the burning bushes throughout our day?

There are many ways that YHVH seeks us
to turn aside from our daily routine to listen to Him.
Sometimes we can become so busy
that we miss Him and what He wants to say to us.

I don't want to get so caught up in daily life that I miss the opportunities He sets before me...
so busy that my intentions never come to fruition... never turn to action.

Abba, help us not to be too busy for You.
Help us to be aware.
Help us to turn aside from the rhythm of 'dailyness'
to listen and learn of You...
to study, to pray, to do good, to serve... or just to be still.
Sometimes those burning bushes are not obvious,
sometimes they are subtle,
as You often speak in a still, small voice.
Help us, Abba, to pay attention and not miss those moments,
missing the blessings that You have for us through them.
Help us to look for the burning bushes
along the pathway of our daily lives.

"... and Elohim called to him from the midst of the bush and said, "Mosheh! Mosheh!And he said, "Here I am."
(v.4)

Welcome!
I'm Christina...
Blessed Wife and Mother.Home Educator. Domestic Engineer.Book & Tea lover.Daughter of the Most High.
Seeking Truth in His Word - His Torah
setting my heart to hear, guard and do
what He has lovingly instructed...
... because I love Him...
because It is my Life.